Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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227. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his Department's climate adaption plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48610/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Transport plays a vital role in tackling Ireland's climate change challenge; not only must the sector decarbonise through mitigating measures but it must also safeguard critical transport infrastructure and services from the negative impacts of climate change.

To this end, an Adaptation Scheme for the Transport Sector has been prepared within my Department which I will consider and expect to publish soon. Furthermore, and very importantly, my Department plays a central role in supporting transport stakeholders to develop their own evidence-based responses to the challenges presented by climate change.

The Department for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment are leading the national response to climate change adaptation, with support from key Departments such as my own. A statutory National Adaptation Framework is being developed under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015 and will, I understand, be submitted to Government by Minister Naughten for approval before the end of 2017. Following approval of the Framework by Government, work in this Department will be focussed on the preparation of a statutory adaptation plan for the transport sector.